Editors’ Note: Tracking Stock and Bond Indexes

Editors' Note: Tracking Stock and Bond Indexes

Long-time MarketMinder readers may recall the site used to contain a link in the Global Market Update section to a third-party website's chart of the MSCI World Net Return Index. If you look today, you'll notice it's not there. The reason it's disappeared is the third-party site put this and all MSCI index data behind a pay wall. A fine thing for them to do, but one rendering our link to the page null and void.

We've attempted to locate another reliable source we can link to in order to provide this data; however, there's no one-click destination we've been able to uncover to accomplish this. We'll continue to look, and if we find one, we'll add it back.

Until then, for those of you who care to follow the MSCI Index, what follows are step-by-step instructions to access this information reliably and with as much ease as possible. We know this isn't as convenient, and for that we apologize.

In addition, for those wanting to follow a broad bond index, we're including instructions below to access the Bank of America/Merrill Lynch 7-10 Year Corporate-Government Bond Index.

Accessing the MSCI World Net Return Index

• Follow this link to MSCI's webpage housing index data
• You'll have to read and accept MSCI's terms and conditions-should you accept these terms and conditions, click the "agree" button near the bottom of the page
• Next to "Index Level" choose "Net" from the dropdown and click "Search"-this will load developed market indexes including net dividends (dividends after estimated Luxembourg withholding taxes)
• From the list of indexes shown, scroll down to index labeled "WORLD" – that is the MSCI World Index. Returns over various periods are available in the table.
• For an index chart, click on the index's name. Please note you will have to change "Index Level" to net again when the chart page loads. You can change the start and end date from the boxes under the graph.

Accessing the ICE BofA 7-10 Year Corporate-Government Bond Index

• Go to https://indices.theice.com/
• Click on "Register" if you do not already have an account. There is no charge if you sign up for a “Limited Access” account, though you will be required to enter some information and agree to Intercontinental Exchange’s Terms of Use.
• After creating your account and setting up your password, you can log into the platform and will be taken to the “Home” page.

FOR NUMERICAL RETURN DATA

• Find the box labeled "Index Snapshot" in the top left of the page. Enter "B4A0" in the "Index" field and press enter or the “View” button (the graphic of a blue eye on the right-hand side of the “Index Snapshot” box). Year-to-date, month-to-date, 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month returns should appear.

FOR A CHART OF THE INDEX:

• In the "Index Snapshot" box, enter “B4A0” in the “Index” field.
• Then click on the “Show Chart” button (the graphic of a blue line chart), found on the right-hand side of the “Index Snapshot” box. It is between the “View” button and the “Index Viewer” button.

Editors' Note: Revised with updated instructions on 12/30/2020.